Use of online searching as a means to locate desired information has significantly increased in recent years to become one of the most prevalent systems for locating information in use today. Generally, search engines utilize keyword matching to locate information containing identical and/or similar keywords to a search query input by a user. While keyword matching has its advantages over more generic search methods, a significant number of items are often returned in response to a search query, many of which are not related to the core topic intended by the user.
For instance, suppose a user desires to locate a step-by-step account of how to edit digital photographs on his/her personal computer and, accordingly, initiates a search containing the keywords “photographs and editing.” In response thereto, a plurality of items is returned to the user, some of which pertain to editing photographs using consumer photograph editing equipment, some of which pertain to editing photographs using commercial photograph editing equipment, and some of which pertain to other photograph editing topics. Upon receiving the results, the user must sort through all returned items to separate those that are relevant to consumer photograph editing from the other returned items. Additionally, while some of the returned items may have reviews or other preference and quality information associated therewith, it is difficult for the user to discern which consumer photograph editing items are “better” than others and/or which reviewers' opinions with which s/he might agree.
Even if the user is able to locate one or more items that appear intriguing from a plurality of keyword search results, since the user's original intent was to determine how to accomplish a particular task (editing photographs), the user will have to sort through the item(s) to determine whether s/he has access to all peripherals (e.g., software programs, and the like) necessary to complete the task. If s/he determines that it would be necessary to acquire a peripheral of some kind, s/he must then figure out the most efficient way to acquire the necessary item. Such sorting and determining can be rather time-consuming and may, in many instances, lead to user frustration and dissatisfaction.